


Mere Animosity

by piraterea



Category: 12th Hunger Games - Fandom, Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: 12th Hunger Games, Angst, Angst and Feels, F/F, Friendship, Humor, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I'm Sorry, Original Character Death(s), Post Apocalyptic City, Sad Ending, So much angst, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Why Did I Write This?, mental demons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:48:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27959414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piraterea/pseuds/piraterea
Summary: The 12th Hunger Games was officially here. Everything was in order. The Careers were pumped. The weaker tributes were preparing to fight the best they can, with no hope in their strike. Everything was to be the same as every other year.Then 14-year-old Nell Steele volunteered as tribute for District 2.Read to see how the tributes fair in a game so carnivorous as The Hunger Games.
Relationships: Nelly (Nell) Steele & Jack King, Nelly (Nell) Steele/Marigold Beckett, OC & OC
Comments: 21
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I may be trash. But have you considered that I am a piece of beautiful trash? Think it over.

Animals. That’s the first comparison that comes to mind when Jack King sees the Careers for the first time. They were animals, hunters, waiting to slowly take down their prey one by one. He could see it in their eyes when they looked at the easily killable tributes, or the crowd that was just feeding their egos with praise and admiration. He was never great with social cues, but he could see that much.

He stands stiffly on the wall backstage, his shoulder pressed tightly, almost painfully, into the hard metal wall. But it wasn’t enough pain to get him through this next stage. He had to go in front of this crowd and practically beg them to keep him alive. Considering, as previously stated before, he sucks at his social game, this would not be easy for him.

He was in District 7, which worked on lumber, so he had 12 tributes ahead of him. He could faintly see the outline of the few people in front, waiting anxiously to get on stage. Jack tries not to scoff, watching these Careers beg to be on stage, in front of the crowd and lights. That was what they were trained for. Until they were of age, that was what Careers did. They trained for this and then volunteered for their district. _Bring them pride._ Jack does scoff now. What a load of bullshit. Going in to fight to the death and having a 1/24 chance of winning isn’t going to bring pride to your district. Winning brings pride to your district.

When the interviews finally start, he tries his best to get an idea of who he was going against.

District 1, had a skinny teen girl that had a skinny blue dress on. It was obvious to see what card she was playing, the seduction card. Even someone like him, who couldn’t see social cues to save his life, could see that. The next one up was a buff guy that had a permanent scowl on his face. He did little talking and Jack was unsure what he was going with. Going through the list, Jack realizes he has to figure out a card to play. Everyone plays one, and now he needed one as well.

He thinks to his physical description, as that would help sell it most. He had a deep brown skin, mostly covered by the green suit he was put in. It didn’t make much sense why he had a green suit, but he assumed it was because lumber equals trees which equals leaves that are green. He didn’t know what his eye color was, as there were very few mirrors in his district and he never cared enough to look. He would occasionally ask someone what color they were and he always got a different answer. Black, Green, Light Brown, the old senile lady that sells clothes once even told him they were blue. He chose to stop asking after that, because he would always get a different answer.

His hair matched his skin and was a darker brown. He usually kept his hair in a short buzz cut, as it was much easier to keep it short as he worked with trees and branches a lot. He learned that the hard way. Due to having to use his upper body strength a lot, he had a strong upper body and he held his shoulders high and stiffly. That was a promise to his family, he said he would hold his shoulders high and try to make it as far as he could. No, he didn’t promise he would try to win, that wasn’t something he could look into his dying father’s eyes and promise. His father had a bad accident in the trees and fell to the ground at a height of 20 feet. Everyone said it was a miracle he was still alive. But now, he could die at any day, he couldn’t even go to work anymore, so he was stuck home every day, watching life go by, unable to participate in it.

He believes her inherited his father’s height, as he was very tall, and now Jack was very tall. He took all he had about himself and tried to come up with a profile that would fit well. And he could only think of one. He had to play the tough card.

He was unsure of how that could go, he had always been good at acting, he learned from the many times he had to act ok when his father forgot his name or when his friends didn’t come to visit him when he was chosen to fight. He had to act many times. This was just tallying one more.

When District 2 starts their interviews, something out of the ordinary snaps him out of his own thoughts. The girl chosen for District 2 was a medium height teen girl that couldn’t be older than 13. She had short dark brown hair that was curled to her shoulders and a smile that displayed innocence. Jack frowns at the image of the girl on screen. Why would District 2, _The Careers,_ choose a child for tribute? She was wearing a fluffy white dress that went to her knees and spread outward across the chair when she sat.

He listens to the interview, trying to decipher why a child was chosen along with the Careers.

“So, Nelly-” the host, Pluto Rivendell, starts but the girl interrupts him. “I go by Nell, thank you” she says and her smile only slightly falters, so much that Jack is sure he imagined it. Pluto nods.

  
“Of course, so Nelly you made quite a history! The first _14_ -year-old to _volunteer_ to be a tribute for District 2. And this is only the 12th Hunger Games so far! In a group rather known as the Careers, what was your train of thought like in that millisecond moment before you volunteered?” he asks and Nell nods, her smile no longer wavering.

“I don’t know, Pluto. I guess… I wanted to prove myself. Show I was worthy. I wanted to show everyone I wasn’t useless” she says, her head turning slightly. The crowd claps loudly and she giggles. Jack rolls his eyes at the girl on screen. She was so dead.

As the interviews drone on, one conversation after another, Jack gulps nervously when it’s finally his turn. He shakes out his hands and puts his demeanor together to fit his new profile. He had to be tough, skillful. How hard could it be?

He steps out on stage and the crowd claps loudly, and the lights turn on him. He squints his eyes away from the lights and goes to sit down. Sitting in the plush red couch, it reminds him of the couch in the hall that he sat on while waiting for the train to take him away to Panem. Maybe they were the same, but they probably weren’t. No one in The Capitol would be caught dead with a couch from Panem.

He takes a good look at Pluto while he sat. He had bright red hair that was styled into a Mohawk shape, with the ends splitting out into spikes. He had bright red eyeshadow as well that spread far from his eyes and curled to his temples. His suit matched his hair and eyeshadow as it was a sparkling red with pink curls fitting into the sides. His entire look was very… _bright._ He had a slightly round body, not matching his face that was sharp from top to bottom. He had a strict jawline and his cheekbones were high and tight enough to cut paper. He seemed to love red, as he had red skin tattoos that swirled and curled all over his body that you could hardly see the skin beneath.

“Panem, Jack King!” Pluto yells and once again, the crowd goes wild. Jack gives a small nod and sharply shakes hands with Pluto.

“So, Jack. How are you doing so far? How is Panem suiting you?” he asks, leaning back in his chair and getting comfortable.

“I’m good. I’m ready to be here for a while” Jack says simply, stating it as a fact, despite his entire head was racing. Pluto laughs, like Jack was joking and nods.

“Well, then I suppose your last name fits you well. Tell me, you are from District 7, so you know your way around weapons and trees, and you also have all this upper body strength! So, how do you think you have the advantage over every one of those 23 tributes that may have the exact same skills as you?”.

The questions went on like that. Many what-if questions and many personal questions that Jack wanted to refrain from answering. He gave as many short answers as possible, only elaborating if asked. It was surprisingly easy playing tough. It took away a little bit of pressure on his chest that had been there ever since he saw Panem approaching in the train.

When he finally got to leave and District 8 interviews began, he was relieved to know he could go straight back to his floor. He saw his District 7 tribute waiting for him and he nods in hello. The tribute beside him was Kenzie Springwater. She had been in school with him during grade school until he was pulled out to work in the fields. He had only seen her occasionally as she worked with her grandmother in the market, selling soup and bread.

They were both 17 and had only been kind to one another. When he saw that she was chosen right before he was, he felt damned. Because he knew she wouldn’t try to form an alliance with him. They weren’t that trusting of one another. No one was.

When they reached the elevator, they remained silent. Only half way up the ride did she say something. “You did well. Good acting”. He didn’t expect her to say something, but if she did, it wasn’t this. He didn’t question how she knew he was acting, maybe it was because they practically grew up together. He didn’t question why she was telling him this. He just nods and says back, “You too”. And they remained silent for the rest of the ride up.

Reaching the 7th floor, Jack sighs with relief. The he frowns when his mentor, Carter Galloway, strutted up to them. He had won the 10th Hunger Games and gained a humongous ego as well. His stringy black hair crowded in front of his face, which only did him favors, as it hid the pale sunken face behind it.

“Ya’ll did ok. Not as good as me, but pretty good” he says, his night time accent kicking in. Another annoying thing about Carter that Jack learned, that he could have lived happily without knowing, was that once Carter got tired, he got a strong country accent. It was obviously not his true voice, as it never happened when he was awake, but when he was tired it was _always_ there.

“Thanks, Carter” Kenzie says, pushing through him and heading to her room. Carter nods, “I hope ya’ll are ready to die! ‘Cause it’s comin’” he yells and Jack rolls his eyes.

“You’re our mentor! Can’t you give us an ounce of advice?” he asks, refusing to beg, and Carter just shrugs.

“Nah, I’m goin’ to bed. ‘Night” he mutters and trudges off to bed. Jack lets out a loud groan and runs a hand down his face. He really didn’t want to die. But so far, his odds aren’t looking good.

Jack decides to explore his floor after a while, as he was positive he would not be able to sleep. So, he lets his thoughts run wild while he walked, for once in his life unsure of where he was going. He knew the Careers would be after him. That was a no-brainer. But after his interview, he was unsure if it was to kill him or team up with him. He hoped for the latter. He wouldn’t mind working with the Careers but he feared that if he got to the end with them, then he would be taken out first.

But he also knew he could fight. Having a knack for weapons, he could work well with an axe or setting traps. He had to do both back home, so those would come in handy. But if he could help it, he’d want to learn how to use something long range. Like a spear, or a bow. Anything that would let him hide and kill from far away.

He cringed inwardly at that word. _Kill._ It was something he wished he would never have to do. Killing animals was one thing, killing humans was an entirely different ball game. He was unsure what exactly a ball game was, come to think of it now, but he always heard people say it like it was a bigger level, a higher threat, so he went along with it.

Finding himself on a balcony overlooking Panem, he sighs and looks at the city. Bright lights were still overflowing the streets and one extremely lit spot suggested to him that a party was underway. He could just faintly see the outlines of dancing, celebrating people. He feels a distasteful feeling in his mouth at that thought. That people were celebrating a bunch of kids fighting to the death for their entertainment. It made him want to vomit right then and there, because that was exactly what was happening. They _were_ celebrating a bunch of kids fighting to the death for their entertainment.

Not wanting to see the scene before him any longer, he hurries back inside and sits at the table in one of the many dining rooms. He traced small outlines into the glass and watches the cold form dancing figures before they all disappear from the condensation. He doesn’t know how long he does this, but it must be a while because eventually he starts to see the faint outline of the moon high in the sky. He glances at a pointy purple clock on the wall and it says it’s around 3 in the morning. He sighs and stands, stretching his sore limbs.

He doesn’t _want_ to go to bed, because he feared the dreams that would plague his sleep. But there was no avoiding it, and the first day of group training starts tomorrow. He needed as much sleep as possible before he went and made himself known to everyone. First impressions are everything, they say.

He trudges off to bed, and no matter how tired he was, his head didn’t get the memo and thoughts continuously race through his head. He didn’t have a specific thing that he was thinking about. It ran from what the tree sap back home felt like when he would help little kids climb up into the trees or the 14-year-old girl that volunteered as tribute to “prove herself”. That reasoning confused him. She was a District 2 tribute, which means someday she would be a Career. So why would she waste it now? It made no sense to him.

He pulled himself out of the suit that made him feel like he was suffocating and crawls onto the bed. The bed felt uncomfortable compared to what he used to sleep on. It felt too soft, too movable. It didn’t feel like home.

He fell asleep quickly, to his surprise, and the dreams did infiltrate his sleep, to which he was unstirred. He had many dreams, some he would remember, and some he would not. The one he did remember, one that would haunt for a long time, was not yet to be told. Not yet to be spoken in words or even thoughts. No, not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and reviews are always appreciated and loved! Don't be afraid to give me any constructive criticism or otherwise, as well!
> 
> I'll be posting every Friday at around 12pm. You can find me here or on [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)


	2. Chapter 2

Murder. Nell wanted to kill everyone here. And she would, without batting an eye. Just not yet. They all treated her like a child, and that was fine. Because that was an advantage. “Poor little Nelly Steele” she mutters on the elevator once she was sure she was alone. She wanted to burn this dress, but hey, whatever floats these sadistic game players' boats.

She had paid special attention to every single interviewee. The way they ticked, the things that messed with their heads, every weakness. Only after District 9’s girl did her District 2 partner, Felix Mycroft, get tired of it and pull her back. He was 17 and much bigger than her. But to be fair, they all were. Being smaller had its advantages, though. Nobody questioned you, nobody considered you a threat until you were jumping onto them from behind and slicing their throat open.

Nell had the instinct of a killer, she knew what to do. Her mother had been training her, as she had once been a Career. She had never been able to be in the games, she got a knife wound in the leg during training that injured her permanently. Career lifestyle over. So, she had Nell and trained her every day for this. She taught her and slowly became more mentor than mom. Nell had to be ok with it, her mother didn’t really give her a choice. 

So, Nell was ready, ready to win. But she knew she had to play this innocent card until it was no longer playable. She would do badly on her test on purpose, do whatever it took. Whatever it took to win.

When the elevator let out a soft ding and opened up to the second floor, she feels relieved to be able to finally take this dress off. She goes straight to her room and pulls it off her body with little struggle. There was a simple tie on her back that held it all up. The dress fell to the floor and she pulled on a plain black long sleeve and some jeans. It takes her a second, but eventually, she finds the brown leather jacket she had brought with her here, sitting on the bed in a nice, clean fold.

She sighs with relief when it finally hugs her around her body. She smiles and pulls her hair back into her signature ponytail. It was constantly annoying when it brushed against her face, as it so often did considering its length, but she kept it anyway. 

Nell looks in the mirror that lays against the wall and shines her reflection back at her. She studies her reflection. Her bright green eyes shown and studied her back. Nell had received her Brazilian heritage from her father who had died when she was three. Her mother said he died in a riot after the first Hunger Games, but she was unsure how true that was. Her mother may have been telling the truth when she says he died in a riot, but Nell had a feeling the truth was fudged a few times in that story.

She also gained her father’s curls, but her mother’s straight rigid hair smoothed them out into more waves than curls. She had always kept her hair short, that was a no brainer in her mind. She was able to fight much easier and it was easier to maintain. It was a win-win.

“Group training starts tomorrow” she mutters to no one in particular and she watches her lips move as she says them. She did look rather like her father now that she thought of it. She also inherited his lips. A slightly fuller top lip and just thinner of a bottom. Her brother didn’t have the same luck. Augustus Steele looked more like their mother. He had jet black hair usually combed out of his face, and her light blue eyes. Anyone looking at the two of them would never assume they were siblings.

As she looks upon herself, her mind brings up a certain thought. She’ll need alliances. And there was a high chance no one would align with an “innocent girl”. She frowns at the thought and leaves her posh room, her familiar boots thumping across the floor.

“Where are you going?” Felix asks her when she enters the main room, a bored tone in his voice that conveyed he didn’t actually care. Yet, for some reason, he felt the need to look after her. She just shrugs. “Don’t know yet. We’ll see” she hums, pulling her act back on like a glove. He rolls his eyes.

“That’s not an answer, Nelly. It’s late, shouldn’t it be past your bedtime by now?” he yawns and she resists the urge to punch him in the face.

“It’s Nell. And no, it is not” she simply states, not trying to fight a fight she can’t win. He turns back to the TV, bored of the short-lived conversation and she finds herself free to roam. 

She never actually knew Felix. Sure, she saw him here and there, but they never tried to talk or participate in things together. He had his crowd, she had hers. Besides, she was 14 years old and he was 17. He was higher up on the food chain than her, it was a given fact. But in the Hunger Games, food chains are so high on people’s priorities, Nell will be able to just sail under the radar until she needs to move up. And everyone is equal in the end. Especially the Careers.

She shoves her hands into her pockets at the sudden cold that ran through the halls and shivers. Strangely, it’s cold, wouldn’t The Capital have unlimited heat? Walking down the seemingly endless halls, she studies the walls. It was a simple long white wall with a single blue line curling and swirling all over like it was the paint on an empty canvas. But an unfinished canvas now, as all that was left was blue. Her hand emerges from her leather pocket and follows the blue stripe down the hallway until it eventually ends. It ends in a dead-end hallway. She frowns and stops outright. 

“That was… understated” she mutters and starts to walk back in the opposite direction. Her hand continues to trail along the wall with the blue swirls and she hums a short tune her brother had once taught her. It was a poem, but he had turned it into a small song that could be sung when busy. She had learned it before she could even properly sing it, but she now knew it by heart.

It went something like;

“I sing to use the Waiting

My bonnet but to tie,

And close the door unto my house

No more to do have I

'Till his best step approaching,

We journey to the day,

And tell each other how we sung

To keep the dark away.”.

He had taught it to her when she used to be afraid of the dark, to keep the monsters away. She now knew that was ridiculous, a song can’t keep the demons away. But she still sang it, because it was something to focus on when those fears came back.

She hummed the song while she walked. Because she feared what waited for her tomorrow, what beasts would come out of hiding to taunt her and ridicule her. Because no song could keep back the beasts. Not anymore.

-

When it finally came time to wake up and go to the first group training, she sucked it up and got dressed, one article of clothing after the next. She pulled on the black training uniform with a large sliver number 2 on the back. She grabs a simple pair of black tennis shoes, a pair she would work for months to get back home, and slips them on with ease. 

She doesn’t try to dwell on what was coming. 

No, she just gets dressed. 

Then she walks. She walks for a long time. 

She doesn’t try to eat, not yet. 

No, she goes to the elevator with Felix and feels it carry her to the training center. 

And then she enters.

The room had everything she could imagine and she immediately feels at home. She feels at home when she sees the many knives and spears, her best skills, lining the walls fairly similarly to the way the blue paint on last night’s walls were. She is tempted to just throw away the act and show them just how dangerous she was. Show them who she was. But when she saw the big strong guy from District 1 and thought better of it.

The more powerful you are, the bigger the target on your back. Her brother taught her that. He taught her many things, before he left that is. She hasn’t seen him for 2 years now.

Her eyes catch a familiar sight and she follows it. Smirking, she sees the guy from District 7. The second he walked on the stage, she knew he was innocent. She was mildly impressed he put a good act up as tough, but Nell was smarter than that. She could see through every single one of these tributes acts. 

She could see that the District 4 tributes were secretly sleeping together, by the way, they so subtly touched one another and the glances shared. She could see that the District 9 tributes pretended to like one another, but in reality, they despised each other. She could see that by the way, they recoiled from one another’s touch and the slight grimace on the guy's face when he helps her with the spear she was attempting the throw. It was all very obvious.

“Don’t you have flower picking to do?” Felix mutters, coming up behind her and she shuts her eyes tight before opening them again. “Nope! I actually wanted to try with the spear or ropes” she says with fake cheerfulness that he didn’t note. He just rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, just don’t accidentally kill yourself already. Don’t want to lose all the fun of doing it myself” he says and she nods, holding back every nerve in her body to jump on him and hold him in a chokehold. “Could say the same thing to you” she mutters as he walks away, giving him the finger. But when he starts to turn back to her as if he heard her, she quickly turns away and pretends to inspect a knife.

She felt relief when the knife touched her hands. She knew that was a sadistic thing to think while holding a knife, but she wasn’t ashamed. This knife was her way to win, to kill. It was her way home.

She had a range of expertise in many other weapons, but the spear and dagger were always her favorite. The way it curled around her fingers… yeah, she loved it.

She picks up a few of the knives and throws a few lame attempts to dramatize her supposed “weakness” and she can feel eyes on her. She can hear people whispering behind her back. Good. The more people seeing, the better. She hits another lazy throw and hears a laugh turned into a coughing fit.

She tries not to smirk and throws another. This one she hits on just the outside of the target. Right near the shoulder. “You’re embarrassing us, Nelly!” she hears Felix yell, a chorus of laughter coming from the Careers as well. She gives him a look that she hoped went for apologetic when she truly wanted to rip out his insides. And she would, just not yet.

As she throws the last one, she glances at the guy from District 7, throwing an ax at a target about 20 feet away. It hits it in the desired target with a loud slam. She gives an impressed look. Ok, teddy bear can throw. She goes to collect the knives and sets them back on the rack, as that was what a “polite girl” would do. She walks across the training center and dodges a knife that coincidentally flew right past her ear.

She turns in shock and sees the thrower was District 1 girl, the skinny one. Nell gives the girl a small smile and turns away, adding that girl to the list of people to behead.

Moving on to the fire starters, the instructor looked happy to have a student. She didn’t blame her, everyone was so preoccupied with weapons no one thought about shelter or health. Well, stupid of them. She kneels beside the woman and eyes the badge on her shoulder. It said “Ivy”. That must be her name. It matched her well. She had a clean olive skin complexion and light green hair pulled into a braid.

“So, how much do you know about fire?” Ivy asks her and Nell shrugs her head. “Not a lot. I’ve had to set them a few times camping or when it got cold during winter. My mother never taught me a lot about fire” she says and Ivy nods. “Ok, it’s not too hard. It’s just about finding the right materials” she explains and Nell nods, listening intently.

She goes through the steps of creating fire and after only 4 tries, she gets it. She genuinely smiles when she does too. Not the fake smile she’s worn ever since she’s stepped in Panem, no a genuine smile. “Good job.” Ivy congratulates her and she smiles at her. “Thanks. Can… can I do it again?” she asks and when Ivy gives her a nod of invitation she takes the materials she was working with back to the ground.

When she finishes with fire, she heads to spears. She already knew how to create a shelter and ropes, so that wasn’t a worry for her. She grabs one from the rack and smiles at the familiar chill in her bones when it connects with her skin. She looked around hesitantly and when she was sure everyone wasn’t around her, focusing on their own task, or looking the other way, she eyes the spear again and backs up.

She lifts the spear up and aims for the center of the metal dummy. And without blinking, she throws it with all her strength. She watches it run and watches it defy sound and speed to slam hard into the center of the target, causing the target to lose balance and fall onto the floor. She smirks triumphantly and picks up another spear. She could manage one more.

In the end, Nell went through more than one more. She kept going until there were no more dummies to hit. Then she picked up all the spears and placed them back neatly. Thankful, either no cared or no once saw her while she went on her extravaganza. She wipes her clothes of nonexistent dust and walks away from the demolished dummies with a smug look on her face.

During training, she sees the guy from District 7 many times. She watched him with a skillful eye, trying to see how he ticked. It was when she watched him tie a Poacher’s Knot that she gave up on trying to figure him out and approach him.

She walks over to him and gives him an impatient look, waiting for him to look back. She knew that he knew she was there. He was just ignoring her presence. Once he realizes she wasn’t budging, he sighs and turns to her, an exasperated look on his face.

“Can I help you?”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me here or on [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

Spy. Jack knew the girl from District 2 was watching him. Every time he turned, he felt her eyes on him. So, he played his card and watched her back. She mostly struggled through the classes and he felt slightly bad. She had come here to try and “prove” herself and now she would probably be the first to go.

He had almost given up on watching her and called her a stalker until she walked up to the spears. He watched her look around hesitantly, for once not noticing him, and then picking it up. He frowned again. There was a certain way she picked it up. Like…she had done it many times before. She looks around one more time before she aims the spear with confidence and throws it. He nearly jumps when it hits the target with alarming accuracy and so hard that the dummy falls to the ground with a thump. He watches her with wide eyes and a slack jaw as she smirks and throws maybe three more spears with just as much luck as the first time.

One thing was clear, she was very skilled in the way of spears.

When she eventually walks up to him, he tries to ignore her. That would be the smartest decision, don’t take on dead weight. When she makes it clear she isn’t moving and he remembered her little show of the spears, he sighs and turns to her.

“Can I help you?” he asks before seeing her. When his eyes set on her face, he’s a little stricken by the determination in them. That wasn’t there before. In fact, the way she stood, the way she slightly smirked at his confusion, none of that was there before.

“Yeah, actually. You can. I think we should team up” she says, already getting straight to the point. Jack realizes something else at this moment. She wasn’t who she said or acted like she was. He honestly should have seen it coming. Everyone else had an act, why wouldn’t she? Maybe it was because she was so good at it he didn’t see it coming? He wasn’t completely sure.

“Yeah, I’m good,” he says and reaches for the rope he was tying. She steps in front of him and guards the way. Jack rolls his eyes. This was purely ridiculous. He was a solid 6 feet while she was maybe 5 feet. So, he had a solid single foot on her. Yet the way she looked at him, made him feel like a child getting scolded by his mother.

“You can act like you’re tough, but I can see right through you. You are a literal teddy bear in human skin” she says and he rolls his eyes, trying to get away from her. “Please” he scoffs and she shakes her head.

“You are! I can see through every single one of your acts! And everyone’s practically waiting on the Careers to pick you up, take care of you, then spit you out!” she whispers and he turns to her.

“What are you talking about?” He asks her. She rolls her eyes again but continues when he doesn’t budge.

“You showed everyone you can fight. People are practically at the edge of their seats waiting for the Careers to claim you” she explains and he shakes his head. “How do you know this?” he asks. She sighs in frustration, “I’m from District 2? I’m a literal career in training. Plus, I know social cues. I’m pretty awesome”.

“So why do you need my help?” he asks, ignoring her last comment.

“Protection. You will do better in physical fights than I will and no one will want to come after you in the first place. Except for maybe “The Beast” over there,” she mutters under her breath, nudging her head in the direction of the guy from District 1 who was currently throwing weights across the room. Jack considers the deal, he had seen something of what she could do. And if she were a Career in Training as she said…

“Say I said yes. What would I get from you?” he asks her and watches her roll her eyes once more. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m a badass and can practically do anything. Get my hands on a weapon and I could gut you before you could call for your mommy.” She brags. Now it’s his turn to roll his eyes.

“Fine, but don’t expect me to trust you” he mutters and she scoffs. “Please, I wouldn’t trust you if my life depended on it. Which it won’t” she insists. He gives her a sharp nod and offers her his hand. She gives him a look before eyeing his extended hand. “Yikes,” she mutters, but shakes his hand.

“Ok, see you soon then. I would rather not be seen with you as much as possible. Nothing personal” she says and he nods. He didn’t take it personally, because it was smart. Stay far enough away and no one will suspect anything.

She pulls her hand away from his and walks away without so much as a goodbye. He frowns and tries not to think too much into the exchange. That would do him no favors. All it would bring him was even more confusion. He watches her walk away and stalk over to the ropes course. He chuckles to himself and rolls his eyes. He’s pretty sure he just made a deal with the devil.

-

Nell watched a few people go on the ropes course before she attempted it. She steps up to climb but nearly trips. She turns and sees Felix and his Career squad walking away from her giggling like a group of school girls. “Don’t fall this time, Nelly!” Felix taunts her and she lets herself glare at him.

Looking back at the ropes course, glancing at the Career’s, she smirks already knowing what she was going to do. She knew it probably wouldn’t be advised and it was very reckless, but at this moment, she didn’t care. She just wanted to tell those cocky pieces of shit to shove it. So, she was doing this.

She lets out a huff of breath and climbs up the rope, and slides through the curves and loops with unsurprising agility. At least, unsurprising to her. She could hear the small outbursts and whispers coming from the floor and she jumped and flipped from one rope to another. As she swings from one hanging rope to another and climbs down a rope to the ground, she gives Felix a smug look. She relished in the look of disbelief clear on his face.

“How was that?” she wanted to taunt Felix and say, but she bit her tongue. She settles for a small little wave before walking away from the ropes course.

At dinner, all the tributes ate together. She watched as people formed alliances and figured out who to avoid. It was a large circle table they sat at, so she was stuck beside some shaky, shy girl from District 12 and a cocky girl from District 5. Nell just rolls her eyes and glances at Jack. She had never learned his name, not from him, but she heard it come up when Felix was re-watching the interviews. She remembered because Felix wouldn’t shut up about his outfit, even after she said she didn’t care and that she wasn’t listening.

He was talking to District 1 Girl, who Nell learned was named Pearl. The name Pearl fit someone like her very well. She had rich red curls that were flowing over her shoulders and bright blue eyes. Nell assumed she was maybe…15? She couldn’t be that much older, but she was definitely much crueler. Her blue eyes, though still filled with child-like innocence, also held a kind of rage that only a weapon could calm. She knows because she had felt it before.

She couldn’t tell what they were talking about, but it was easy enough to figure out. The Careers, she’s recruiting him. Nell sighs, well there goes that chance of an alliance. She looks away and plucks up a bread roll from her plate. She smears it in butter and turns to the District 12 girl. She had light auburn hair and freckles, the same color as her hair, covering her face. Her complexion was pale, no doubt from the harsh labor and little food given in District 12. “What’s your name?” she asks and the girl frowns, as is she were surprised Nell was talking to her.

“Um… Marigold” she says and Nell smiles, holding out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Marigold. I’m Nell. How would you like to be in an alliance?” she asks, a devious smile on her face.

She learned a lot about Marigold that night. She learned that her father was a coal miner and had almost gone blind from the coal dust. She learned that she had zero siblings, but a small stray that she often took care of when she went into the market. Nell also learns that she knows how to use an ax, as her father taught her in his time.

Much of what she learns surprises Nell. Maybe it’s the fact that Marigold had any skills. The girl sitting beside her had a very lanky body shape, probably little food given back in District 12, and she had very little body strength, from what Nell could see. But there were other things that Nell noticed as well. The way her blue eyes sparkled with the intelligence of the various plant life she talks about whenever asked.

“So, what do you know?” Marigold asks her after she finishes talking about her mother’s skill in botany. Nell sighs, picking off a piece of the roll in her hands to nibble on.

“I know enough. I just learned how to start a fire today. I’m best with knives and spears, climbing is on my list as well. The only I can’t do is hunting, as there was nowhere for me to practice actual hunting back home” she says and Marigold nods. “Yeah, I don’t know much about hunting either. But I do know a few ways to find water. And animals are attracted to water, right? So, we find water, we find food. Win-win” she explains.

Nell grins and looks Marigold up and down. “I underestimated you,” she says and watches her blush with pride. 

“I don’t know that much, not as much as you do” she insists and Nell shrugs. “It doesn’t matter if you know as much, all that can matter is that you know something” she argues and Marigold nods.

“That’s nice”. Nell smirks again, “I’m known to have my moments, yes that is true,” she says, making Marigold laugh. Nell notes that when she laughs her hair, that’s color reminds Nell of a chestnut, vibrates with her body. She doesn’t know why she notes it, but it was something she did take notice of. Something else she tucks away for further investigation is the way she doesn’t have to worry about trusting Marigold. Because she already did. She knew that could be a weakness, but Marigold was someone just impossibly easy to trust. Talking to her, she didn’t see any way that Marigold could have any secret ulterior motive. She didn’t have to worry about her backstabbing her or killing her. And it made her very, very confused.

-

All Jack wanted to do was eat. His entire body was sore from training and he had skipped out on breakfast as he had accidentally slept in. But, no, Pearl had to come to him. He can’t help but think of the irony. “Technically”, Nell did call it. But he would never admit that out loud. No, he had too much pride for that. He glances over at her and sees her talking to some girl from District 12 about her same age.

A hand waves in front of his face, making him jump. “Hey! You there?” Pearl giggles and Jack sighs. He turns to her and nods for her to continue, somehow more starving than before.

“Ok, so we want you to come work with us Careers. We’ve seen you’re really strong and can fight. You should be very grateful for this opportunity” Pearl says, mixing around her carrots and peas with her fork. The way that Pearl talked, it was so fast that all the words ran into one another, Pearl also got straight to the point when trying to persuade. Jack nods, reaching for a slice of chicken with his fork.

“Yeah, look. I’m not really looking for an alliance right now. I’m more of a loner than a group kind of person. Nothing personal, just makes the slaughtering a little easier” he says and Pearl seems a little taken back at his zero filters. Ignoring Pearl, Jack finally takes a bite of the food. He tries to hold back a moan at the taste and continues eating. Food was never a humongous issue back home, but it never tasted this good! 

“Look, Jake.” He doesn’t think to correct her that that wasn’t his name, “you are going to need our protection eventually. And you could use the help. Strength isn’t everything” Pearl insists and Jack sighs, setting his fork down once again.

“I really don’t think being a Career is for me. As I said, it’s nothing personal” he argues and just like that, the conversation is over. Pearl lets out a small outburst in frustration that sounded like she was about to have a fit to Daddy and stands abruptly, moving away from her chair. “You’re first on the list now, Jack King” she hisses into his ear and he shivers at her words. Threats were not exactly on his list of favorite activities to do on a weekend.

She stomps off and out of the room, no doubt heading back to her floor. He looks over to Nell who was watching Pearl leave with an amused look on her face. She looks at him and nudges her head towards the exit with a questioning look on her face. He just shakes his head and watches her smirk before turning back to the District 12 girl. Then he goes back to his food, his main priority now.

-

Nell refused to not watch Pearl stomp away in an angry frenzy. “What’s that about?” Marigold wonders aloud and Nell shrugs. “I don’t know. Probably got declined by Jack”.

“Jack? Isn’t that the District 7 tribute?” Marigold asks. Nell nods, “Yeah, I had an alliance with him, but now I’m not so sure” she mutters. When the table dissipates away from Pearl’s dramatic exit, Nell pulls another roll onto her plate. She preferred it with butter, as it felt like it was literally melting in her mouth that way.

She hums happily and takes another bite. She hears a soft laugh beside her and turns to see Marigold eating some of the chicken. “I’ve… I’ve never had a slice of chicken to myself” she explains, eyeing the chicken. Nell nods, although she would never know exactly what that felt like. Back in District 2, food was never a worry. If we asked, it was there. They never had to worry about going without a meal.

“What about you?” Marigold asks and Nell turns to her. She wanted to explain how it was different, but she didn’t want to go giving away information either. So, she just nods and gives a tight-lipped smile. “Yeah, I feel the same way”. Marigold nods and smiles, not seeing the lie in her statement.

When it’s time to go back to their floors and to bed, Nell finds Jack and drags him into a secluded hallway. It slightly reminded her of the canvas hallway on her floor. Except for this time, it was yellow stripes bouncing across the walls. She turns to him who was waiting for her to say something, obviously unsure of how to start the conversation.

“We need to talk” she mutters and he nods, subconsciously crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, I got that when you pulled me into an empty hallway” he mutters, sarcasm dripping from his tone. She rolls her eyes but continues anyway. Jack wasn’t a huge fan of the relationship dynamic that was forging between the two of them. The way it was building, she was the begrudging leader-type that had to scold him, the dumbfounded soldier, every time he did something she found wrong.

“Sarcasm noted, we _do_ need to talk. What was that with Pearl? Didn’t you want to be a Career?” she hisses. He seems unsurprised that this was what she wanted to talk about. It was kind of clear to see, even for him.

“You said it, they’ll just pick me up to spit me back out. I’ll pass on that. Plus, I already shook on another alliance. Once I shake on it, there’s no going back” he mutters, another humorous smile on his face. She smirks, “Wait, seriously?” she asks and he nods.

“Dead serious”.

“Which is soon what you will be now that you refused the _freaking Careers_! You are an idiot and a dead man!” she scolds him and he frowns. 

“Wait, what? You want me to be a Career?” he asks, even more, confused than ever. Did she want an alliance or not? She rolls her eyes as if it were the most obvious answer ever. As if he were the idiot. “Dude, no I don’t _want_ you to be a Career. But if you want to live, you better want to!” she explains, which he only shrugs off.

“Didn’t you say you’re a badass? We’re good” he insists. She rolls her eyes again, so far back he’s sure the next time she does it her eyes will get stuck in the back of her head. “Of course, I am. Whatever, next subject. We have someone else now as well. Marigold” she continues, giving up on trying to save his life. He cocks his head slightly in confusion.

“District 12? Isn’t she a little… incapable?” he mutters. She bites her lip nervously. She didn’t want to carry around dead weight, but she _knew_ that Marigold would be of good use. She felt it.

“No, she’s good. Her father taught her to pickaxe and she has a knack for plants and animal hunting. That’s food and killing.” She insists. Jack sighs in contemplation but eventually nods. “Ok, but if she falls out of a tree and breaks her neck, that’s on you” he mutters. Nell scoffs, “We don’t even know if there _will_ be trees” she argues lazily, but the thought had crossed her mind and had eaten away at all her thoughts.

Was she making a bad decision?

Time would tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me here or on [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)


	4. Chapter 4

Schedules. The next two days went on similar to the first. They woke up, they trained, they ate. Nothing more to it. Occasionally, Nell would showcase a bit of strength, just to mess with those pesky Careers. They never could seem to leave them alone, could they?

Jack had immersed himself into ropes and shelter. Which _was_ smart, but Nell refused to. Which was what she believed to be more strategical on her part. One person focuses on shelter and food, the other works on slaughtering other tributes. They could be unstoppable.

Nell would keep the occasional eye on Marigold to see how she works. She mostly works on the obstacle course, proving that strength wasn’t everything. Thanks to her small form, she sped through it with alarming speed and grace. Nell felt slightly shell-shocked while she watched her go. But other than working there, she would try her hand in bows. Which was also a smart move on Marigold’s part. Because she couldn’t fight in hand-to-hand combat, she could shoot from above. Marigold was definitely not lacking in the mental department of the game.

Maybe that was why Nell chose her over all the other tributes.

Nell busied herself with hand to hand combat. No weapons, no tricks. Just one fist against another. Because of her slightly smaller height and weight than everyone else’s, close up fighting was definitely not on her upper hand. So, she worked there. Over and over, day after the next, she spent at least two hours there until she could no longer lift another fist.

She quickly realized she had a subconscious schedule set inside her. She would wake up, eat a single piece of toast, then go to training. The first thing she did was hand to hand, then pretend to be lousy at spears. She had to more careful after nailing them the first time, so she was extra precautious now.

She also spent some time with Ivy, the fire instructor. She furthered her education in the flames and expanded her knowledge of the outdoors.

After group training, she would sit with Marigold and discuss strategy. She still refused to sit with Jack. He knew it too. They needed to seem inconspicuous. The less time they are seen together, the better. So, he would eat, and gather intel on the other competitors. He knew a three-person alliance was risky. The more people you get close to, the more you lose. And having two other people to try and make it to the end with, only having to then fight to the death. But they were risking it. They all were, they had no choice.

“Tomorrow is private training. What are you doing?” Nell asks Marigold on the third night of training. She didn’t try to eat that night. It would all just come back up anyways. Tomorrow was the day, it was the day where everyone either knew how strong she was, or she carried the innocent act to the finish line.

“I don’t know yet. I should, but I don’t. I might just jump through some obstacles and shoot a few arrows.” She says, poking her soup with her spoon. She watches as the small bits of potato swirl around her spoon movement, “What about you?” Marigold asks her, nudging her shoulder against Nell’s, and Nell sighs.

“I’m going to try to be as horrible as possible. Really sell that act. Maybe struggling with a spear for a while. But I feel like I’m going to throw up just thinking about it. And I don’t even know what’s going on in Jack’s head”.

“I don’t know either. But, the arena. What do you think that will look like?” Marigold asks her, obviously trying to move the subject from something so bone-crushing, and Nell didn’t blame her. So, she sighs in contemplation.

It was true, she had thought of what the arena would like. Would it help her? Would it be something that no one could possibly expect? Or could it be her demise? These questions fill her head until it all but consume her. The best she could hope for was lots of trees and heights. Heights were her friends in a game like the Hunger Games. But, honestly, she couldn’t even get close to guessing what it would be like.

“I couldn’t even guess. The Capitol has a wicked sense of creativity that could the death of us all” she mutters, biting her lip nervously. Last Hunger Games, it had been a large garden that never seemed to end. But it turned out that all the food and shiny fruits that hung from the trees were all poisoned. So, not only did they have to hunt for their own food, but it was a large garden so there was practically nowhere to hide from potential killers.

Much more fun to watch than to participate in, Nell understood that now.

“I need to go” she whispers and pulls herself out of her chair quickly. Marigold watches her hurry out of the room with a confused look on her face. She wanted to go after her, but she knew she shouldn’t be seen as too close to another district. So, she lets her go.

\- 

Nell didn’t know where she was going, but she knew she had to get out of there. Go anywhere but reality. The only thing she can focus on is her feet padding on the floor and echoing across the walls as she runs. That’s the only thing she can hear except for the pounding in her heart.

She wanted to stay tough like she had told her mother she would be, but she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t pretend to be ok and act like her stomach wasn’t twisting into intricate knots every second she saw those _fucking_ Careers or a knife in their hands. She couldn’t pretend anymore. Because it scared the shit out of her.

She eventually finds herself back in the hallway of her floor. The one with the blue swirls. She pulls herself into the corner at the very end and recites the poem. The one her brother had taught her, that rid herself of monsters. Except it never really did.

Because she said it all the time if the demons had been rid of, then how does she still feel them looming over her shoulder at every turn?

_“I sing to use the Waiting_

_My bonnet but to tie,_

_And close the door unto my house_

_No more to do have I_

_'Till his best step approaching,_

_We journey to the day,_

_And tell each other how we sung_

_To keep the dark away.”._

Ok, focus on her heartbeats now, one after another. Now, repeat.

_“I sing to use the Waiting_

_My bonnet but to tie,_

_And close the door unto my house_

_No more to do have I_

_'Till his best step approaching,_

_We journey to the day,_

_And tell each other how we sung_

_To keep the dark away.”._

She continues like this, over and over again until the numbing thump of her heart slows to a distant beat.

Furious with her act of weakness, she wipes away at her dried tears sharply and stands from her huddled position. She looks at her surroundings, this hallway again. Nell was unsure what was so special about some hallway. It was white head to toe with just a single blue stripe on the right side. Nothing special, nothing of importance.

So, what was it?

Nell walks a few feet forward and runs a hesitant finger over the dark swirl. It seemed to shiver under her touch like it was scared of her. Like she was the monster now. She supposed she was, in a way. At least, she soon would be.

The thought doesn’t scare her. That she will slowly turn into an animal after killing so many times. It will break something in her, whatever is left of her teenage innocence will be shattered after she stops that first heart of many from beating. Because that was how it was now. No going back.

She chose this for herself, made her bed you could call it. Now she must lie in it. The only thing that made her hesitate, was the obvious question lying in the back of her head.

Would that bed be a coffin holding her cold, dead corpse? Or would it be a soft, comfortable bed in her new home in Victor’s Village?

\- 

Jack knew something was up when Nell jumped up and ran off. He had never seen her as someone to easily tick off or annoy. She always seemed to have a sly precision to her. Every word you spoke and action you made, Nell analyzed it until it was dead and limp at her feet. So, seeing her run off like that was very unlike how he had assumed she was like.

But, he knew not to follow her as well. One, because it wasn’t something he should concern himself with. The deeper he got into these alliances, the harder it will be to swim out. Which he will have to do if they are the last two standing. Well, three now that Marigold has been added on as well. And two, because it felt private to Nell. Like something that only she wanted to know about. And he knew plenty about secrets, so he chose to respect hers.

After dinner that night, he didn’t choose to socialize like all the other tributes. Knowing that tomorrow would showcase exactly what they were capable of to the world, they wanted to celebrate. Not him, no Jack wanted to vomit.

His stomach was churning and every thought he had was sent through a power drill. Tomorrow was the day. It all truly starts tomorrow. He hadn’t really given it much thought, that this was truly happening, until now. It all just felt like a bad dream that he would wake up from and be back home. But no.

This was happening.

He escorts himself back to his floor and sits at the table in the main room. Tomorrow could be his doom. Whatever the judges thought of him the next day could be his victory or his downfall.

A loud crash from the hallway interrupts his thoughts and he jumps up.

No one comes in and there is complete silence, apart from his beating heart that was slowly growing faster. “Hello?” he shouts, trying to play his tough card again.

“Don’ get ya’ panties in a twist. It’s just me” Carter yells from the corner and Jack lets out a sigh of relief. “Are you drunk?” he mutters, turning the corner to see him flat on his back on the floor, whiskey bottle in hand.

“Absolurtely not. I am thuh soberest uh thuh sobers” he snaps, going back for another drink and not even trying to stand up from the floor. Jack groans and grabs Carter by his shoulders.

“Come on” he grunts, finally getting him off the floor and pulling his arm over his shoulders. “Thuh soberest uh thuh sobers. In all thuh sober lands!” Carter adds, pulling the whiskey to his lips, but not before Jack can pull it out of his hands.

“No more for you. You’re done for tonight” he scolds, trying to pull him the best he can into Carter’s room.

“Man, yer’ no fun! A little drink ain’t gonna hert no one” Carter snaps, reaching for the bottle again. “Man, come on. You’re supposed to be my mentor. Not the other way around! You have to give me something” Jack complains and instinctively holds the bottle out of his reach. Jack wishes he could curse out Carter. Him and his stupid night accent, and his stupid whiskey, and his stupid hair. But he can’t, because if he wants to get even a small amount of information out of him, he has to sweet talk him up.

He almost goes to say something but feels Carter’s head loll against his shoulder. He looks to the side and sees him passed out against him. “Shit, man. Come on” Jack complains, finally making it to Carter’s door.

Once he is in his bed, he leaves the bedroom to see an unimpressed Kenzie. “What?” he hisses, tempted to take a swig of the whiskey in his hands for himself. Kenzie rolls her eyes and walks away, making him follow her.

“You know he’s not going to tell you anything, right?” she mutters, picking up the whiskey in his hands and taking a long swig without hesitation.

“Yeah, well I would rather try than just give up like you are,” he says without thinking of the consequences of his words. To his surprise, she doesn’t snap back or yell as he thought, she just chuckles.

“I’m not giving up, Jack. I’m simply embracing that I’m going to die”. She says it with so much confidence that it almost sounds like a double meaning. But it wasn’t, she had just accepted it. The idea sounds so foreign to Jack that he almost doubts it.

He’s so busy thinking about it, he barely notes her waltzing away, whiskey still clutched in her hands

“Yeah… well that’s pretty much the same thing, anyway!” he shouts after her in a lame attempt at a comeback. He can practically feel her smug smirk on her face.

“Ok, Jack” she whispers so quietly he thinks she hadn’t said it. But she did.

He scoffs loudly, tempted to get himself a bottle of the strongest liquor he could find. It was very, very tempting. But then he thought of what happens tomorrow and thought better of it. So, he just pulls himself off to bed, praying for peaceful, dreamless sleep.

But no one’s ever that lucky.

\- 

Jack and Nell both sleep uneasily that night. Both because they fear what the morning would become of them. Jack fears he will be weak, Nell fears she will be too strong.

Everyone fears something, and The Hunger Games could be the worst place to overcome them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I was a day late. Completely forgot to post.


	5. Chapter 5

Dreams. Dreams did not understand the pressure of what was to come. Dreams did not understand the need to sleep before tributes have to go and slaughter their way to the top. Dreams do not understand.

Nell gasps awake, frantically searching for air. Her fists clench tight in her blanket and cold sweat prickles on her forehead. When she feels the familiar warm pillow beneath her head and the soft humming of the fan above her body, her heart begins to calm down. Just another dream. The same dream as every night. It never changes and yet it never seems to fail at frightening her.

She’s running through the woods, running from something she has yet to figure out, and then she comes upon a body, lying on the darkened grass floor. It is covered in a dark blue cloth and the cloth covers their face. She would step towards it, remove the cloth, and beneath it would be her brother’s mutilated face.

The face would be ruined so far past the line that you couldn’t even recognize who it was. Yet she just _knew._

That dream had been haunting her ever since her brother had disappeared. She had never gotten a goodbye hug, no note. Just a small petunia on the table next to her boots. It was blue, the flower. It was such a deep blue that she had first mistaken it for purple. But no, it was a very deep, dark blue. Identical to the cloth that hid her brother’s gutted face.

Nell shakes her hands out, shivering even though her body was ridden in sweat. The golden clock on the wall told her it was around 5 in the morning. One hour until showtime.

What to do. What to do.

She pulls herself out of her bed, the blanket too hot to stand another minute, and shakes her hands out again as she walks to the bathroom. A shower, a shower was what she needed right now. She still had an hour until she presented herself for private training, so her clothes would be given to her in about 45 minutes. Yes, she would take a shower.

  
She focuses on one movement at a time. First thing to do, start the shower. Ok, she sets the temperature to medium heat. Second step, remove her nightclothes. She does this easily, removing her too long for her pants and extra comfortable shirt. They slide onto the shiny marble floor with ease.

Next step, get into the shower. This was done easily as well. Final step, actually take the shower. She cleans her body almost robotically, moving her arms sharply only to do as intended. This gives her time to let her brain run rampant. Which she did not enjoy as much.

She had decided to go with spears for her “skill”. She would attempt to throw a few and lamely miss. They would decipher her as terrible and move on. Easy Peasy.

But if it was so easy, then why was she still so nervous? Why did her hands still shake at the thought of going down there?

A loud bang from her bedroom makes her jump and she immediately shuts off the water. “Nelly, come on. It’s time to go” her mentor, Lailah, yells from the bedroom door. Nell sighs and runs a hand through her hair. Nell, it’s Nell. Not _Nelly._

“Ok, be out in a second!” she yells and hopes her mentor could hear her. When Lailah doesn’t say anything again, Nell assumes she did and left. She now quickly gets out of the shower and pulls a towel around her body.

She peaks into the bedroom and once she is sure that Lailah is gone, then she goes in. It was wrong that she even had to worry about her remaining in her room, but the people in District 2 have been a part of shadier stuff, so it wouldn’t surprise her.

Nell sees a black training uniform, identical to the one she has been wearing for the past 3 days, sitting neatly on her bed. Exactly as she had with the shower, she gets ready in robotic movements. She brushes her hair, she gets dressed, she pulls her shoes on. When she is done, she pulls her hair back into its signature ponytail. Per usual, many strands fall in her face considering the short length, but it never bothered her that much. So, it doesn’t bother her now.

She leaves her room and sees Felix waiting by the door for her. “What are you doing here?” she mutters and he scoffs. “Trust me, I don’t want to. But Lailah told me to. Something about appearing as if I protect you or some bullshit. Come on” he snaps and she follows him out of the hallway.

“Who will you kill first?” Nell finds the question leaving her mouth before she can stop herself. She doesn’t know why she asks. To converse in some way? To learn something about him? No, she’s pretty sure she is just wired up and needs something else to focus on.

  
Felix grunts with pleasure at the topic of the new subject. “District 7 dude, Jack. We tried to recruit him, but he refused us. As if _he_ were better than us! Ridiculous. I can’t wait to gut him like the disgusting fish he is” he chuckles and Nell nods. “I bet” she mutters.

“You?” he asks, sarcasm thick in his voice. Of course, it would be. He didn’t think she could even pick up a weapon, let alone kill someone with it. She looks up at him with her very first serious stare in public. “Same, Jack. He was making fun of me in training” she lies smoothly and he seems to believe her. Maybe he didn’t think she was capable of lying. The lie was so easy to tell, she was slightly insulted he hadn’t figured it out.

  
“Hey, because I technically am a Career, would you guys consider having me with you?”. Another lie. She would rather be the first one in the arena to drop dead than align with them. But acts were everything. You appear one way then go and cut their head off the next? Best use of the element of surprise ever.

Felix chuckles again, and the sound is so rotten and ugly she decides the way she is going to kill him is by actually cutting his head off. So, she never has to hear that vile sound again. “Nelly, you will never be a Career. You couldn’t even throw a _knife_ at training. Sure, your climbing skills are “mediocre” at best, but you just don’t have what it takes” he says like he was talking to a child and, to top off the cherry on the pie, he pats her head twice before walking ahead of her to the elevator.

Nell’s blood was surging in a murderous rage. The _audacity_ of this guy! “Cannot _wait_ to kill you!” she whispers through grit teeth and stomps after him.

Waiting in the elevator, a few people are already there. Marigold, her fellow District 12 tribute Aster, and a few more. Jack was nowhere in sight, but his other District 7 member Kenzie was. She frowns slightly but quickly wipes it away as she feels eyes on her.

The elevator continues going until Pearl and her fellow tribute join in. When they arrive outside of the training room, Nell could see many people shaking nervously. District 8 boy looked like he was having a seizure. Which was ridiculous because he looked like one of the oldest there.

“Hey, is it possible to get a negative number?” Felix chuckles to Nell, who sends him a death glare.

“Well, I guess you’ll be the first to find out” she bites, only holding herself back by imagining his head in her hands, holding it up as a trophy.

Being a District 2 tribute and the girl, meant she would be third. She risks a glance at the District 1 tributes sitting across from them. They both seemed boldly proud and ready to go in and prove themselves.

When Pearl’s name is called she stands, blows a kiss at the rest of the tributes, and walks in with grace. Nell rolls her eyes. Girls like Pearl annoy the shit out of her. Like, we get it, you’re beautiful and age like fine wine, move on.

Silence fills the room, with the occasional whisper or soft conversation. Nell hears a loud feminine shout come from the training room and jumps just a slight bit. Felix scoffs, “Show off”.

His words made her consider what Pearl could be doing that would even make her consider howling like a polar bear in labor. Was she sword fighting with an invisible friend? Or maybe, by some godforsaken luck, she fell and broke an arm. That would definitely help Nell’s luck.

5 minutes later, a series of claps come from the room before them. Felix just shakes his head with a smug smirk on his face. It disgusted her. Nell had thought she had felt pure hatred before, but these Career’s… they had their own spectrum of hatred.

The District 1’s boy’s, she never bothered to learn his name, she just knew he was strong, name was called from the speakers and he stands. He had to be at least a solid 2 feet taller than her. The only way she could realistically get past him was either let the Career’s take him out for her, or find some strength that she has against his own. Which wouldn’t be a lot, she thinks to herself as she watches him march into the training center with unrequited dignity.

Nell looks around and meets eyes with Marigold, who was also mapping the room. She tilts her head slightly to where the doors are, where the District 1 guy had just left, with questioning. It took Nell a second to understand what she was asking. Is this guy going to be our death? Unsure of how to answer a question so bold, that its answer could change at any second, she just shakes her head. Better for Marigold to believe she had a plan, then panic and think she was going to be the first to die.

Another 15 minutes pass before a loud cheer of applause comes from the training center. No doubt he did well. A heavy sigh escapes Nell as the speaker announces her name. She shakily stands up, for once not because of her act, but because she was genuinely terrified of what she would do. Her feet wobble and her hands jitter nervously.

“15 bucks she’ll fall and not get back up” Felix taunts and coughed laughs and chuckles come from the tributes sitting around her.

  
“Very funny. You’re all hilarious, really” she mutters and steps around everybody to step towards the door. It was a large black metal door that seemed to loom over her threateningly. It felt much larger as she stepped up to it, like it would fall and crush her before she could even step through.

“Hey, Nelly. You’re supposed to open the door. Remember?” Pearl snickers and more laughter comes from behind her.

“Thanks, I’ve got it. No need to stress yourself with using your words. I know it’s hard for you.” Nell snaps back and a small chuckle comes from the District 1 guy, but quickly turns into heavy coughing.

Nell opens the door and takes one last look around the room at the remaining tributes, at Marigold, who was giving her small encouraging thumbs-up, and then back to the entrance.

She takes a heavy breath and walks through the doors.

-

If anybody asked her what her time in private training was like, she wasn’t sure she could give them an answer. It was as if she just blacked out and her mind went into survival mode. She needed to ace this, to prove that she really was just a small, innocent girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her brain just flipped the switch that her mother had hardwired into her brain since she was young and basic instinct took over.

The switch her mother put into her, had been there since she was small. 5 years old to be exact, her mother was 24. Nell’s mom had had Nell when she was only 19, her brother when she was 15. To get by, her mother did what was considered the only solution, she sold her body for food and money. However, she had Nell’s brother, Augustus, after one of her many trips to a guard or bakers house, the location always changed. After having her brother, her mother just had to do it even more because of the need to supply for two human beings now. That was then how Nell came to be.

When the switch was taught to her, was after her mother’s accident that ruined her legs. Her mother was instructing her on how to climb trees, because Nell was only 5 it was illegal to let her handle weapons yet. There was still a solid two years before she could handle any knives or spears. Nell had been climbing, her mother yelling at her to be faster, and in the heat of the moment and a small misstep, she had fallen.

Nell had been a solid six feet up, which to a 5-year-old it felt like 20, so she had only sprained her wrist. Her mother, instead of helping her up and taking her inside to clean her up, like most mothers did for their children at that age, scolded her and insisted she go again. Despite the pain in Nell’s wrist, she did. Because she was terrified of how her mom would react to her saying no. Nell’s mom had never hit her or even laid a single finger on her once in Nell’s life, but her temper was to be feared more than her touch.

She was in the trees for a solid two more hours before her mother had let her go have dinner. Nell had run inside and looked for her brother. Augustus had been 9 at the time. He was stirring a small pot of soup for dinner when she found him.

He had sat Nell down and helped clean up her wrist. Because their mother hadn’t chosen to be a motherly figure to her, Augustus took care of her. He would help her with her homework when she needed it, he would be the one to sit with her when she cried over a particularly terrifying nightmare. Not her own mother, her brother did.

When he was getting some ice for her wrist, he explained the concept of the switch. On how it was like a flip to tune out your emotions and get the job done, to get in the zone. He told her how when dealing with their mother, the switch could help her.

That was what she had gone on to use when her mother would train her. Nell’s mom still scolded and yelled at her, but Nell had learned to tune it out. She did it for 9 more years. She did it when her mother told her she was a disgrace to the Career name, she did it when her brother disappeared. And she did it again, for the first time in a year, at her private training.

Only her brother knew about the switch, and now he was gone. So now it was just her. All on her one, once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, sorry I am late.
> 
> You can find me here or on [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATES!! NO, I AM NOT DEAD!!

Patience. Jack needed to be patient. But as the tributes ahead of him go in and the next name is called, he can’t stop his leg from tapping nervously or his hand from jittering with anxiety. This was truly it. It was time. This was where he had to get his head in the game. The Career’s would be watching his score, his father would be watching, what was left of his friends would be watching. Everything depended on this.

He wasn’t sure if his father would even recognize his face when it showed up on the screen, and that only made Jack feel worse. His parents were all he had left. His mother was working day and night, because of his father being unable to work anymore. So, she has to provide for all of them on her own. Many times, he wished he could just fib about his age and go to work to help her, but she refused. It was too much of a risk, she explained to him.

Jack barely notices his name being called over the speakers. He realizes when a tribute behind him slaps him on the shoulder to get him out of his thoughts. He looks up and nods, standing up from his spot on the metal bench. He doesn’t turn back to thank whoever snapped him back, he just goes through the door. Rather not gather any more attachments than he already has. It was stupid of him to not only have one alliance but two. It’s just one more person he will have to kill off in the end. Or watch them die, which may be even worse.

The Gamemakers above him watch him enter the room. Jack doesn’t try to greet them or even acknowledge them. They don’t care. They just want the best killers for their entertainment.

He had been unsure of what he would do for his private training and, now at the moment, he’s even more unsure. In a moment of panic, he moves to what he knows best. Traps. There were ropes and strings on a table on the left side of the room, so that’s where he went. As he tied a Poacher’s knot, he could practically hear Nell’s voice criticizing him for the choice. Even when she wasn’t there, he could feel her chiding him. It was ridiculous.

As he continues his show for the Gamemakers, he imagines what it will be like when his parents see his score. Will his mother be proud of him? Will his father even know him when his name was said on the TV screen? He didn’t know. And he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

It wasn’t long before the Gamemakers told him to leave. There were claps occasionally when he hit the target with an ax from fifteen feet. Or when he was able to successfully camouflage a tent in leaves and sticks. There wasn’t much else he knew, so he worked with what he had. He took all the knowledge he had from working in the trees and playing in the woods with his friends. He could trap, and aim, and hit. So that’s what he did. It may not be as great as the Career’s, but it’s what he had.

When they told him he could leave, he bowed respectfully and nodded his head before departing the room. Jack’s head worried that his show wouldn’t be enough. That he would watch the screen during the announcements tonight and it wouldn’t be enough. That the sponsors wouldn’t see him as worthy enough of their food or water, or anything else of value. He supposed he would just have to wait and see.

Jack leaves the training center and waits for Kenzie. He knew, if it was turned around, she wouldn’t wait for him. She would go ahead and leave him to bite the dust. But he doesn’t really care. His father used to teach him this one lesson. He would say, “Even when your enemies hate you, Jack, just be kind. ‘Cause knowing, they can’t get to you, that’ what will really knock ‘em dead”. He took that into consideration now. Of any time to start listening to his father’s advice, now is that time.

When Kenzie sees him waiting for her, she scoffs loudly and walks ahead of him. But there is a small smirk on her face as she passes. Maybe she was taught that lesson as well by her parents, or grandparents. 

Being kind to Kenzie wasn’t going to get him anywhere in the games, but it was something.

-

Roles. Marigold Beckett knew she wasn’t the main character of this story. The Hunger Games. The Mighty Games. She wouldn’t get the camera time the Career’s or some other athletically charged tribute would get. She would be one of the tributes that the districts would call sheer luck if she made it out of the first 10 minutes. After all, the beginning is always the hardest. That’s when the Career’s claim their territory. They take down anyone standing in their way and make themselves comfortable in the jackpot of treasures inside the Cornucopia.

  
So, Marigold knew she wasn’t of importance in this game. She wasn’t like Felix, or Pearl, or even Jack, she didn’t have that spark that outshone herself from everybody else. She was just an unlucky girl whose name got picked out of thousands. Nell was lucky, she thought, Nell was pretending to be weak so no one would see her. Marigold didn’t have anything to hide. That was just simply how she was.

Sure, she had to worry about reality in her life of District 12. She was never a cheery optimist as one would assume by her personality. But a rough life never seemed to affect her the way it did everybody else. The years didn’t toughen her out into a working machine as it did everybody else. She somehow managed to keep as much of her personality as this world could allow. Even if she had to have it pried from her cold, dead hands, she wouldn’t give up that to Panem. She gave everything else, she wouldn’t give that.  


When her name is called, she stands and goes into the room as quickly as possible. She could feel eyes on her as soon as she stood, watching her move. So, as awkward as it was, she wanted to get out of their eyesight as soon as possible.  


She could see Gamemakers watching her enter the room, a large feast around them. They were high above the ground in a room with no windows. It was like a metaphor, Marigold thinks to herself. They sit high above them while the people strain themselves over and over again for their benefit and entertainment. It was sickening, but there was nothing you could do about it.  


She did as she had told Nell. She went for the rope courses and the obstacles. There was a plant matching test as well, she gave her hand in that. After all, her mother taught her about plants and how they can be of use. Marigold’s mother had worked during the first war as a nurse, and all she had in her sector was plants. She worked with what she had and wrote it all down, keeping track of what every plant did and how they affected the patient. She then passed it down to Marigold and her baby sister on her death bed. Her younger sister, Aspen, was only one and a half when she passed, so the book was given to Marigold.  


The ropes on the course burned her hands as she climbed from side to side, but she kept going. It was all she could do. She would do the best she could, she would keep pushing. When she ran through the obstacle course and her legs felt like putty, she kept going with an image of pride in her father’s face at her score. Or the idea of seeing her little sister again. So, she pushed the idea of just giving up out of her head and continued going.  


The plant match was a breeze. She knew most of the plants, though some did look foreign to her, and matched them with their equivalent with an ease that only came from having her mother’s book practically hardwired into her core from the hundreds of times she swept the pages.  


When they tell her she can leave, there is no clapping, like the Career’s got. There is no signal of satisfaction with her performance. They just sweep her away to see the next teenage delinquent. She gives a small nod of the head, but doesn’t bow like the other District 12 tribute, Aster, had told her to do. Her father told her not to. And she would listen to him over the martyrs of Panem in a second, without hesitation.

She leaves the training center and sees a few Career’s chatting quietly in the corner of the hallway. She faintly wished Nell was still there, but she was nowhere to be seen. Maybe it was better that way, anyways. Not to seem very attached, she guessed. But Marigold would rather have someone to talk to than being alone.

She walks to the elevator and waits for it let her in. When it opens, as if reading her thoughts, Nell was inside. “Oh, hey Marigold. Going up?” she asks and Marigold nods. She steps into the elevator and presses the 12th floor.

“I still haven’t gotten used to elevators yet” she whispers as she holds tight to the bar on the wall. All the walls were made of glass and you could see everything around you as you rode up.

“Yeah, it’s definitely something to adjust to” Nell agrees. Marigold eyes her warily. Despite her agreement, she didn’t seem to be struggling quite as much as Marigold was. “So, how did you do?” Marigold asks, hoping to change the subject from her motion sickness.

“Terrible. But for once that’s a good thing. I just hope my mom picks up on that,” Nell responds, not entirely believing the change of subject, “Are you sure you’re going to be ok?”.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine” Marigold mutters, squeezing her eyes closed after making the mistake of looking down on the glass.

The elevator dings loudly and then the door opens. Marigold practically sprints out the door, trying to get off the height. Nell doesn’t seem to mind it and remains in the elevator. “Hey, so I know you aren’t a big fan of heights and all. But can I show you something?” Nell asks her and Marigold was sure she would regret it if she went with her. It obviously had _something_ to do with heights. 

Yet she did anyways. “Yeah, sure”.

This girl would be the death of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you will probably get another chapter some time this weekend, because I missed last Fridays. Sorry! So, stay tuned.
> 
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the chapter in on time! Look at us? No, look at us. Who would've thought. Not me!

“So, where are we going?” Marigold asks nervously, holding on once again to the handle bar for dear life. Nell find her anxiety rather cute. As if the Capital would let tributes die before the games. They would rather zombify them before letting them not participate.

“You’ll see. It’s a surprise”. Even with the anxiousness in the pit of Marigold’s stomach rising, she can’t help but smile a bit at the smile on Nell’s face. It had to be the first genuine smile she has seen from her. All the others have been fake or playing at her innocence. But _this,_ this was a real smile, Nell’s smile.

“Ok, fine” Marigold gives in and lets Nell keep this a surprise.

The ride in the elevator isn’t very long, they go through a dark tunnel like spot for a while until they arrive on what Marigold can only assume as the roof. “Is this the roof?” she asks and Nell shakes her head. “No, it’s this garden I found while exploring the building” she explains to Marigold as she grabs her wrist and pulls her into the nursery.

“Are we even allowed to be here? Are _you_ even allowed to be exploring?” Marigold questions her and Nell just laughs. “Chill, Marigold. We’re fine. Just… don’t look down”.

Because Nell said that, _of course_ she looked down. Below her, the floor was made up of glass and she could see the city of Panem below her. She yelps nervously and Nell smiles again. “Don’t worry, it’s just a hologram. Look”. Nell walks across the garden and presses a button on a remote on the wall. And below her, the floor turns from Panem to a dense rain forest.

“Isn’t that cool?” Nell says, a smile in her tone. She presses the button again and the forest turns to one large ocean. The water rose and lowered with the tide. The hologram was so realistic, Marigold was almost convinced it was real. “Have you ever been to a beach?” Nell asks and Marigold shakes her head.

“No. It’s all forest and coal in my district. We’re lucky if we even get a bath some nights, let alone something like this”.

Nell is silent for a moment, picking at a leaf on one of the flowers. It reminded Marigold of her sister, Aspen’s, favorite flower, the hydrangea. Marigold ever understood her sister’s fascination with the flower. It looked the same as the hundred other flowers that sat on the gardener’s stand. Only the wealthy of District 12 could afford luxuries like flowers. But occasionally, Marigold managed to save herself just enough money for one flower. Only one. So, while her sister was asleep, she would leave the flower by her sister’s bed.

“Well, maybe there will be a beach in the arena. We could see that” Marigold suggests, hoping to get another sentence out of Nell.

“Maybe. I’m not sure how safe it is to be out in the open like a beach. But maybe” Nell answers, pulling her concentration from the flower.

They walk through the flower nursery, talking inconsistently. The best part was, they didn’t have to worry here. There were no cameras watching them, no Career’s hounding them. It was just them there. They could actually be teenagers for the first time in their lives. They didn’t have to worry about providing for anyone or the games there. They could laugh without straining. They could talk about anything they wanted, or not talk at all, just because they could.

“Why do you enjoy gardens, Nell?” Marigold asks her once. She glances over and Nell was ducking her head under some vines to get a watering can. She seemed to shine under the sunset. Like the stars were directing all their light onto the one girl. Nell turns to her with the can and shrugs, “I don’t know. I guess I just always found something fascinating about it. My mom would go on a murderous rampage if she ever heard me say that”. Nell chuckles a little bit at the thought, her mother hobbling around the house with a knife in hand. As terrifying as it sounded, she couldn’t help but laugh a bit at the idea of it.

“Why? Your mom doesn’t like this kind of stuff, I’m guessing” Marigold whispers and accepts a small spade to plant a new seed. Another chuckle comes from Nell.

“Yeah, you could say that she isn’t exactly a flowers and sunshine kind of person. She’s had rage and revenge pushing her forward ever since her leg, so she pushed it all onto me. So, having a gardener for a daughter, not on her bucket list”.

The work side by side in peace until there’s half an hour until the private training results. The moon was already out and it shone through the roof of the greenhouse. Marigold attempts to clean herself the best she can of dirt, but concluded it was useless. She would just have to change back on her floor.

“Well, I’ll miss you garden” Marigold sighs and Nell nods, also camouflaged in dirt.

“I wish we could come back here”.

“We will,” Marigold doesn’t know why she says it. It wasn’t true. Even if one of them won, they would never come back here of all places. But she says it nonetheless. And, Marigold would never tell Nell this, but she was sure it wouldn’t be her taking first place.

-

They part ways in the elevator as Marigold is on the 12th floor and Nell is on the 2nd. The ride down is silent for Nell after Marigold is gone. She watches the floors disappear as she goes downwards and lets her mind take over for her. Working in the garden with Marigold… it was probably the most peaceful thing she’s done in forever. The last time she remembered feeling that way was when the times she got to go with her brother to the market. Their mother could never go because of her foot, so she and Augustus got to go alone.

It was the one time her mother’s rules and hawk eyes weren’t slithering down her spine.

The elevator dings, and her head rises back up right when Felix and his posse of Career’s are passing. Felix turns to her and the outright look of disgust that he keeps just for her is on his face once again. “Nelly. Been rolling through filth again? I thought life in District 2 would have taught you better. You’re embarrassing us” he scoffs snidely and she rolls her eyes.

“Sorry, Felix. I’m going to go clean up now” she smiles through grit teeth, fighting every instinct that told her to rip out his throat. That way she would never have to hear his stupid voice again. _Calm down, Nell. Anger won’t get you anywhere. Focus,_ her brother’s voice said to her. It may just be her conscious speaking to her in her head, but it was her brother’s voice. And she would listen to him.

So, she unclenches her fist and nods a goodbye to them before walking around them and going into their floor. _See? Easy,_ her conscious mocks her and she rolls her eyes. That was so much like her brother, it made her heart clench. She missed her brother, possibly more than she could miss anyone.

When she was cleaned up, she sat on the couch and waited for the live to come on. Being in the second district, she would be one of the first people on, then Jack, and then Marigold.

Back on Floor 7, Jack goes to his television room and waited as well. Kenzie joins him shortly after. They don’t say anything to one another, just sit on the edge of their seats and wait for their fate. Jack twisted his hands together anxiously, watching Pluto Rivendell talk about how great he thinks everyone had done. Which was bullshit, Pluto had no idea what their scores were.

On Floor 12, with Marigold, she was sitting in the corner of the room in a love seat, glancing from the TV to the other District 12 tribute, Aster. He was closer to Jack in age, as he was 17, and looked nothing like he was from District 12. He had long golden locks- they reminded Marigold of strings of hay- and bright blue eyes. He had the looks of a District 4 tribute with the ocean and fishing, not the hard coal and mining of District 12.

Marigold waited patiently, not doing so much as nervously running her hands along her jeans, for the announcements to begin.

On the screen, a woman comes to Pluto with a single piece of paper. He thanks her and looks to the paper. It was the results.

All tributes were on edge, sitting on the ends of their seats and ready for it.

Pearl was given a nine. Her being a Career, was a given that she would get a high rank. The strong guy from District 1, Pluto says his name is Cobalt, got an eleven. His score was pretty surprising. Sure, there had only been twelve years of Hunger Games now, but an eleven is practically rumored to be untrue.

Then came District 2. Nell looked over to Felix and saw him leaning over the couch casually, watching the screen. Of course, he didn’t have anything to worry about. He was protected and cushioned by his social standing. Nell was first. She was given a depressing four. A chuckle came from Felix at the sight, and she turned to glare at him.

“And you volunteered and everything. How embarrassing” he taunts and she sighs. Two days. That’s all she had left. Two days.

Felix was granted a ten.

When District 7’s scores rolled around, Jack was ready to get up and leave. Kenzie insisted on holding up her “not giving a shit” act, and he couldn’t stand it. How could she just _not_ care for her life? And of course, Carter was nowhere to be seen. But nonetheless, she stood in the corner of the room, arms folded across her chest, and staring at the screen as Pluto stalled from continuing. Or, as Pluto said, building suspense.

Kenzie got a seven. That was a good score, so it made Jack wonder what she did during her training. But he knew she wouldn’t tell him, so he didn’t bother asking. “Good luck, Jack” Kenzie mutters, before leaving the room, no doubt to gather another bottle of alcohol. Jack had risked fate the day before and asked her why she always seemed to have the spirits with her, and she just gave him a simple answer. If she was going to die, she would die in style.

Then she walked away, drinking deeply from the current bottle she had in her hands. Jack faintly thought that she would end up like Carter. He wasn’t sure how much he liked her answer, but he wouldn’t try to stop her. Maybe she would end up dying from alcohol poisoning before she got into the arena, so he wouldn’t have to see her name in the sky. But he knew wasn’t that lucky.

Jack got a nine. Seeing the number next to his name, was both relief and stress. It was like getting a hot stone massage. It relaxed you, but still burnt like hell. He wasn’t sure why he compared it to that, he had never actually had one. Just heard of them, like campfire tales and fables told before bed. Having a score like that, put a target on your back. But it also meant that sponsors saw him. So, it wasn’t completely awful, which was the story of his life.

Finally, at District 12, Marigold and Aster were watching the screen in silence. Neither tried to talk to one another. They had only barely known each other. Aster’s mom worked with Marigold’s mom at what had become a makeshift hospital and Aster’s mother had helped to give birth to Aspen, Marigold’s sister. So, they had only run into one another on the times that one or the other would be at work with their mother’s.

Marigold was first, she got a six. She smiled shyly at the sight. A six, that was much better than she thought she would get. She had thought she had done well with what she had, but in the eyes of the Gamemakers, you never know.

“Well done, Marigold” Aster says respectfully, and she smiles to him, “Thank you”.

Aster got an eight like Kenzie. He grinned slightly at the sight. He didn’t know much, being from District 12, but he knew the same things as Marigold did, probably more. That, with his height advantage, earned him that. They don’t try to say anything else to one another. The announcements for training scores were over now, and the TV was turned black.

There was no stalling anymore. That was the last step to introducing Panem to the tributes. Now it was time. Two days, two days and then they were there, in the arena.

Two more days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [Tumblr](https://pirate-rea.tumblr.com)
> 
> It's Hunger Games time, bitches! Next chapter is where the parties at!


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